A practical course on patent law and practice, exploring the legal framework for patents and the practicalities of obtaining patent protection in Canada and internationally.  Topics include understanding patents as distinguished from other forms of intellectual property; identifying inventions and documenting the inventive process; the Canadian Patent Act and Rules; the law of patentability and infringement; understanding the patent document; identifying prior art; filing a patent application in Canada and abroad; the role of the patent office; and patent agency as a profession.  The course is ideal for aspiring law students as well as engineers, scientists and business students with an interest in innovation and the law.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the nature of patents, as distinguished from other forms of intellectual property.
2. Be able to identify inventions and document the invention process.
3. Understand the bases of Canadian Patent Law, the Canadian Patent Act and Rules, and the requirements for obtaining a valid Canadian patent.  
4. Understand the role of the Courts and the Canadian Patent Office in administering the Canadian Patent Act.
5. Understand the nature of a patent document, and the assessment of patent validity and infringement.
      

Course Offering (may be subject to change)

Patent Law and Practice (LAW 711) will be offered every September, January and May. 

Assessment Weighting (may be subject to change)

Course Materials

TBD

Textbook Buying Options

Softcover - TBD

eTextbook - TBD